MORE ON: Roy Oakley

By Jim Freeman&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Thu 6:11 PM, Jul 19, 2007&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Thu 10:12 PM, Jul 19, 2007

Midtown, Roane County (WVLT) - It was a one traffic light town until not too long ago; it's just that small of a community. So you can imagine what kind of shock is rippling through midtown as the news of Roy Oakley makes the rounds.

You certainly don't imagine something like this happening, especially when it’s an event that could impact the entire world.

Midtown may be best known as the town that still has a drive-in theater. That was before Thursday when the news of Roy Oakley spread across the community and around the world.

“I think if he’s doing that, they need to put him as far away as they can,” says neighbor Lois Pope.

Unhappy neighbors, surprised friends at the thought of Roy Oakley being accused of such a crime.

“I don’t hardly believe it that he did that and all that, that’s strange the way he is and all,” says Mike Howard.

Neighbors suspected something was up at the home at 614 Old Highway 70.

“Knew something was going on and gradually sooner something come down but you just didn't know when around here, you never know who's going to come down first,” says Pope.

Mike Howard attends church with Roy Oakley at the Midtown Valley Methodist Church. “He's a true Christian, good friend, good landlord, him and his wife both, everybody loves him in the community.”

Oakley owns rental property and Mike Howard calls him a good landlord. Hannah Stedam once rented from Oakley and doesn't see it that way. “Personally I don’t like the man, to me he's lazy, and seems like a money grubber. To me, he just wants his money and to hell with everyone else.”

For a man that folks call.

“He's a very standoffish kind of person,” says Stedam.

“They're kinda kept to themselves. But money hungry,” says Pope.

They certainly have an idea of how they like to see the Roy Oakley play out.

“I hope he's innocent. That’s the main thing,” says Howard.

“I think they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent, I really do because that's our security, that’s our safety,” says Stedam.

This is no doubt a community shaken to its core, just a lot of surprised friends and neighbors, wondering how this all is going to play out.

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